Let’s be honest: The first few minutes of the day can often make or break that day. Start out the day on a positive note, and the day will probably go better. Start out the day on a negative note, whether that’s just feeling grumpy, or stressed, or whatever, and the day has the potential of not going so well.
So, how can you start each day in a way that will set you up for an amazing 24 hours? It’s important to start the day on your terms, not on somebody else’s terms. This can be tricky when kids or others depend on you, or with a huge to-do list, which is probably more other-centered than you-centered, but there are some small things you can do to start the day out in the best way possible. Here are some ideas that might help, and the most important thing to remember is to do what works best for YOU!
Make your bed. I know my mom wanted me to make my bed when I was growing up, and some days I did, and some days I didn’t. The same is true as an adult: Some days I did, some days I didn’t. When the kids were young, most days I didn’t. I was just trying to get up and get the day going. But for the past several years, we’ve made our bed first thing. It literally takes seconds, but it does make a positive difference. Naval Admiral William McRaven, the commander of U.S Special Operations, talked about the importance of making your bed in a 2014 commencement speech at the University of Texas at Austin. Here’s what Admiral McRaven said about making your bed:
“If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another…. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.”
Making your bed is such an easy way to start the day out with a win!
Read for a few minutes—even 1 minute on crazy days—from a Success book (non-fiction, inspirational, motivational, etc.) or an uplifting article. I read my scriptures every morning, and I’ve come to know that this a great way to start my day.
Meditate—even for a few minutes. This can look like praying, reading scripture or other uplifting literature, thinking about positive thoughts…whatever is meditating for you. I start each day with a prayer because I know I need all the help I can get!
Send a kind text to someone—brighten their day first thing! You’ll feel great too.
Don’t pick up your phone. This one can be so tough. It’s too easy to want to just scroll for a minute or two to see what’s happened overnight (news, social media, email, and so on), but that “minute or two” can easily turn into 30 minutes or so. And let’s be honest: Often, that scrolling can lead us down the comparison rabbit hole and maybe even stress us out (often about things we have no control over), and that’s not a great way to start any day. Give yourself a break and start the day on your terms, not by focusing first thing on what others need from you or from what others are doing.
Stretch. Stretching can help your body to wake up, and it just feels good. So add some stretches to your morning routine.
Drink a glass of water. This one’s a biggie. Why? Since your stomach is empty when you first wake up, there are some amazing benefits you can get from simply drinking water first thing in the morning:
- Morning re-hydration. When you think about it, you’ve been sleeping for (ideally) 7-9 hours, and so your body can be a bit dehydrated. A glass of water first thing helps with that re-hydration.
- Better skin and hair and decreased chance for headaches. Dehydration can negatively affect all three.
- Help with weight loss, if that’s your goal. Water can help us feel fuller, which means we will potentially eat less.
- Boost metabolism. Your metabolism can get a 25% boost by drinking water on an empty stomach, which means you’ll feel better overall, you’ll have more energy, and you’ll burn more calories during the day.
- Flush out your digestive system. This can decrease the build up of harmful bacteria and increase nutrient absorption.
- Improve your immunity. Drinking water first thing can help your lymph system to fight off infections better.
I’ve done this one for about a year now, and I can tell pretty quickly when I’ve missed drinking that glass of water first thing. It really can make a difference!
Learn more about the importance of water here.
Work out. This one can take more than10 minutes (although you can do an amazing workout in just 10 minutes!), but it’s a great way to check something off your to-do list, get your body moving, and get a kick of those exercise-induced positive endorphins first thing.
Write in a journal. I type in my 100 word journal every morning, and what I write about changes from day to day. Writing out what’s going on in our lives can be super helpful in a number of ways: Warding off depression, managing stress, learning from experiences, feeling grateful, and more.
Eat breakfast. Whether this is a full-fledged breakfast or just something small, eating something first thing helps get your metabolism going and gives you the energy you need to begin the day, well, energetically.
I get it. Some mornings are just plain bonkers. So on those crazy, busy mornings, just do your best to do as many positive things as you can. Then space the rest throughout your day to help make the entire day successful.
Which idea will you try out first? Even doing one small thing can make a difference!
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